The Snobbery of Steak

You can see why a lot more people are learning to cook and eating at home because some restaurants are getting away with murder, their prices are way over the top. Would you pay $79 for a steak? Well that's how much it costs at a new eatery in The Rocks - The Cut Bar and Grill. Reviewer Terry Durack writes a report on the new steak house.

Chef James Privett grills all the meats over beechwood and charcoal before finishing them in an enclosed 650 degree broiler, a piece of equipment chefs are madly in love with. Judging by the 220 gram Sher Wagyu sirloin ($52) from a Wagyu-Holstein cross, it's very efficient, although the thinness of the cut makes it difficult to cook medium rare and still get a good crust.

The 500 gram Riverine 150 day T-bone ($52) comes excellently crusted and medium rare but with subdued flavour and tight meat. It makes me think the 500 gram Sher Wagyu T-bone ($79) would be the best bet.

Then comes along something rather wonderful, a standing rib roast on the bone, roasted for four hours, rested and residing on a silver and rosewood trolley. The beef is expertly carved at the table and presented simply with a ladelful of jus. A ruby red 200 gram slice ($36) is taken from the extremely rare centre and is a little difficult to chew, forcing me to nibble around the edges but I applaud the pomp, ceremony and commitment.

There is still a sense of ticking the boxes about The Cut. It's lovely to be in, with a luxurious, engaging, subterranian warmth and good-looking, try-hard staff. But if you are going to specialise in steak, the steak has to be amazing and I haven't yet been amazed. At the newest steakhouse in town, it's more a case of medium-to-well done than anything particularly rare.